This invention relates to an upholstered seat insert for transportation seating that is resistant to cutting or damage from vandalism.
Seating used in public transportation vehicles can either be upholstered or unupholstered. Upholstered seating is more desirable, because it is generally considered to be more comfortable. Upholstered seating is usually padded with a foam padding and includes a fabric cover that gives the seat a warm, less slippery feel than a hard metal or fiberglass seating surface.
On the other hand, upholstered seats are susceptible to vandalism, which is a particularly significant factor in buses or transportation vehicles used for intra-city transportation. Padded seats formed of foam rubber or the like, which are covered by a fabric or simulated leather upholstery, are easily cut. Such cuts are readily visible and expose the interior portion of the seat for additional vandalism. Seats that have been vandalized in this manner have to be replaced at considerable expense.
A common construction for intra-city seating comprises a metal interior frame, a fiberglass or other molded plastic shell mounted over the frame, and seat inserts mounted in recesses in the seat shell. Seat inserts also can fit on a seat structure and when so used are sometimes called seat "onserts". The term "seat inserts", as used herein, refers to both kinds of products. The seat inserts typically form the seat portion and back rest portion of the seat, with the shell forming the peripheral supports for the seat inserts. Typically, the shell forms a bench-type seat and seat inserts are located at each seating position. Seat inserts can be bolted or otherwise fastened to the shell.
The seat inserts typically are contoured to conform with the shape of a passenger seated on the seat. The seat inserts can be formed of fiberglass or other molded plastic, steel or other hard material. The insert can be unupholstered or can be covered with a simulated leather or woven cloth fabric. In the past, such constructions have been quite susceptible to vandalism by cutting or slashing.
Prior attempts have been made to develop vandal resistant upholstery. Attempts have been made to render padded upholstery vandal resistant by incorporating slash-resistant materials, such as metal fibers or a metal mesh into the covering material or into the upholstery padding. These have meet with less than satisfactory results.
As an alternative to a padded seat, upholstered seat inserts have been constructed without padding by fastening a conventional woven fabric directly to the hard substrate material by the use of a high strength adhesive. This structure provides some of the attributes of a traditionally upholstered seat, but the structure is not satisfactorily vandal resistant. Cuts by razor blades are visible, and this makes the threads of a woven fabric visible and accessible. Thus, the threads can be unravelled, and incisions can be opened. Further, the glue or adhesive must be applied lightly to one side of the fabric or it will "bleed" through the fabric to the exposed outer surface, changing the appearance and texture of the fabric. However, a less than thorough saturation of the fabric makes it possible to peel the fabric or at least some of the threads from the seat substrate.
An object of the present invention is to provide an improved upholstered seat insert that camouflages cuts and slashes and is quite resistant to peeling or separation of the upholstery fabric from the substrate.